OWNERS: William Kuhlmann, Selina King,
Boerne School District, City of Boerne

LOCATION: M.I. Leal Survey, Lot #9

DATE:c1884 Style/Period: German pioneer

BUILDER: William Kuhlmann

CONSTRUCTED OF: Rock, frame; gabled
roof;

DESCRIPTION: Two story rubblestone
symmetrical with two story gallery across the front (West) side.
Originally the house had two upper and two lower rooms. The gallery on
both floors extended around to the entire south side. The stairs to the
upper floor were on the outside of the house on the East, or back side. As
was the custom, there were no closets in the entire house. The house has
one central chimney, with the fireplace on the southwest room. The
remaining three rooms had openings into this same chimney and wood stoves
were used for heating. The walls in the house are approximately 15" thick
and the 9 foot ceilings inside are beaded board. The upstairs floors are
still the original random width planks varying between 10" and 12" in
width. The floors on the first floor have been replaced and are now of 3"
narrow pine flooring. The house had a gabled roof and 6x6 sash
windows.,br>Today the gallery on the south side of the house is gone.
It is believed that the south portion of the porch was removed in the late
1920s when a major change in the house was made.The wooden portion of
the house was added to the east side about the same time the south side
gallery was removed. This new addition brought the house the newest
conveniences. The outside stairs were removed. Traces still show on the
rock and the door upstairs is still there. New stairs were built inside
the southwest room. Closets were built in this room as well as the room
directly above. A gallery and a modern kitchen (to take the place of the
separate outdoor kitchen) were added to the first floor. On the second
floor, a bathroom was added above the new kitchen and a second floor
gallery was added above the new one on the first floor. With this new
addition all the plumbing and water pipes were used without having to go
through the thick rock walls.

HISTORY: The land, out of Lot #9 and #10, on which this
house stands was sold by John and Helene Werner to William Kuhlmann on March 26,
1883. Just what year the house was built is not known thus far. It was built by
William Kuhlmann between 1885-1890.

Mr. Kuhlmann became a naturalized citizen of the U.S. on Feb 5,
1890. He was born July 2, 1856 in Germany. He died in Boerne of pneumonia on
Dec. 18 1918. The doctor in attendance was Dr. Wright. Undertaker - Ebensberger
& Wendler - buried in Boerne Cemetery.

Mr. Kuhlmann returned to Germany to marry his sweetheart,
Marie, and brought her back to live in this house. On Dec. 27, 1896 Marie died
during childbirth. The child never lived. Marie was born Sept 13, 1854 in
Germany. The couple is buried in the same grave in the Boerne Cemetery.

Mr. Kuhlmann sold this house with improvements to W.F. Shirer
but Mr. Shirer sold it back a year later because of the lack of finances.In
1902 Mr. Kuhlmann sold the house to Selina Long King. The King family lived in
the house until 1920 when Mrs. King died. The house was sold to the Boerne
School District.

The house was used to extend the facilities of the school which
was in the adjacent building just south of the house.In 1951 the school
system no longer needed the buildings in this location, thus it was sold to the
City of Boerne.In 1971 the Boerne Area Historical Preservation Society was
given a twenty-five year lease on the house for a museum.